By now I am assuming all of you have received emails from your agencies explaining that the recent executive order did in fact include APs and that as it stands now, that freeze will be in place until December 31st.
I don’t think I am overstepping by saying that this was a surprise. You may have even noticed that news outlets published conflicting stories about whether or not APs were excluded (they are not).
I personally think that hosting an AP in some ways is a huge advantage during a pandemic and my AP has been an absolute godsend and THE reason I have been able to work full time remotely, have three kids finish a remote school semester successfully and had the ability to continue to support my group as a local coordinator. We absolutely could not have done the last three months without her and by mid March we gave her a raise and when she asked why we said “COVID pay”. I would not be an LCC right now if she had not stayed and I have no doubt my full time job would have been drastically impacted by trying to assist 3 school aged kids with remote schooling.
The intent of the executive order is to create jobs for Americans but I have to ask – is including the AP program in the freeze creating jobs for Americans? Why or why not?
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The short answer is YES. It does create jobs. Now, is it such a huge amount? No. Of course it is not in the millions as the economy needs now. But I guess it could very well be important to a part of the workforce that has lost their jobs, or work in the child care facilities, etc.
We personally have quit the program altogether. It just has been too many challenges, too many struggles, uncertainty, everyday something new for us to solve for. We need something that will help our daily lives, and not be yet another thing I have to spend such a big amount of energy to get to solutions….
Before it was the law suits, then the possible minimum wage, then Covid19 (and most au pairs just not wanting to social distance, or shopping around for more money, more perks, more, more more..) than the travel bans, and finally now the visa bans. Just too much for us, as working parents trying to make it all work, deal on top of everything else…
So, minimum we will only consider the program again early next year….
Well said. We left the program when the MA state minimum wage ruling took effect. The guidance for following the state law was unclear, at least at the beginning. Then our au pair wanted more money and more privileges I hadn’t given to any of the nine au pairs before her. Then all the stuff you described as well as the other commenters. I am grateful the agency said we could quit. Our kids are now old enough to handle after school programs (when school ever resumes). What will the future of the program be? It worked well for more than three decades and was uniformly applied across the USA. Yes, the au pair program creates jobs for Americans who work for the agencies and State Department employees, plus it enables American parents to work. Americans need childcare. So obvious. So sad it has come to this.
I’m not sure if the au pair program takes jobs from Americans. But I am certain that no American would want the job our au pair does. Our au pair is amazing, and has been such a godsend during Covid. My spouse and I are both physicians, and both treat Covid patients. Our au pair has been on board with our family from day one, quarantining with us, making sure our kids had great care when parents work hours changed on a weekly basis, never complained and always stepping up to help. We could not have done this without her! The au pair program is a vital program for essential workers, and we have been so fortunate to be a part of it.
The real question is, if the jobs were available would people here want them? When our children got older we stopped au pairs because we did not need the flexibility and other things the au pair program provided. We still wanted an older high schooler or younger college student with the kids during the day just to make sure they got to their activities. They wanted crazy amounts of money to basically hang out and drive my kids. Even in today’s situation I feel that our own local options for in home care still want crazy amounts of money and have demands that make it difficult. Just because there are people seen as available because they are out of work doesn’t mean they want the work.
Agreed. This is a live in flexible childcare program. In order to create jobs for Americans au pairs would have to be currently filling jobs that Americans would like to fill. I don’t think there is suddenly an abundance of live in nannies available due to COVID – in fact I bet it’s the opposite given the current childcare crisis – and while there may be live in nannies available, they are likely at a cost that would inspire host families to look at other more affordable options (thus not creating the job). Or – in some cases as I have seen in my own group, have one host parent step back to work part time or not at all to cover childcare duties until they can host an AP again (leaving/losing jobs).
I think most would argue that the au pair program enables more Americans to work. That’s certainly the message being sent by first responders, military members and working families across the country right now!
I am sorry, but this is a big assumption to say NO Americans would ever take a job as a live in nanny, who maybe also do split schedule. We left the program, announced what we needed in a nanny facebook page, got many responses, and now have a wonderful nanny for our kids.
By the way, our last au pair said from day one “ I will not do spmit schedules”, I have heard many who will not work weekends, or nights, etc. So we cannot assume either that having an au pair fully means to have a flexible child care….
Who said no Americans would take a job as a live in nanny? Also when you left the program did you look for live in? If so, were you able to get that nanny for the same cost as an AP? If you’re referring to my comments I didn’t say no American would be a live in, I said I find it hard to believe that APs are taking their jobs, thus that banning them would create American jobs. The families in my group that are losing APs are either having a parent quit or go part time (reducing Americans working) or patching together care with relatives (no jobs created) or high school/college students for the summer (not exactly creating high paying or long term jobs). None have hired American nannies so far.
We took a break from the program years ago, tried to get a live in (couldn’t find one) and settled for a live out. It was more expensive and more frustrating but that was just our experience. Friend has owned a nanny agency almost two decades told me herself they just can’t get live in here or nannies that will work split schedules, I’m sure that can vary regionally but I find it hard to believe that it would drastically change with COVID especially given that the numbers of families seeking childcare has dramatically increased (competition not unlike what we are seeing in the AP pool currently).
I don’t think it’s fair to say “most APs dont want to social distance” (who does?) and “shop for more perks more more more”. As an LCC I deal with a lot of APs and have for years and have to say since COVID hit the APs in my group have been total champs, often going above and beyond and haven’t complained and have pretty much lost all their opportunities to travel and socialize. I have not had one transition due to trading up/perk shopping and have hosted ten years myself and never (so far) had an AP do that to us. We have 3 kids, weekend hours, car curfew, split schedule and lots of rules and while that may turn off some we just don’t match with those. We’ve all heard the horror stories and I was bracing myself becoming an LCC but the reality was the vast majority were just like my APs – bright young women that genuinely love kids and want a second family experience.
The jobs at risk here go beyond just the direct childcare. The au pair agencies are not doing well and there are many American jobs at risk. There is an entire industry set up around au pairs, now there are no incoming au pairs to support that industry.
Our local au pair area director has been given a paycut, and is now earning much less than minimum wage based on the hours she is putting in to her job. If no au pairs are allowed in, there will be no need for area directors or au pair agencies.
Creating more barriers to childcare during an already difficult time only puts parents in difficult positions. Families who have two parents with two incomes may decide that one person stays home and this certainly impacts the economy.
The au pairs usually spend a good portion of their stipend while they are in the country, which is good for the businesses where they spend their money.
Honestly, for now having an au pair would be the best and safest option for my family. Our current au pair is heading back to her home country soon and I’m not sure what we are going to do. We are trying to find an in country candidate and obviously that’s really challenging right now. We have investigated local options with limited success. Day care is not an option because we work some off hours and I anticipate many intermittent day care closures and increased caution sending kids home with the first sign of sniffles, plus one of our children is too old for daycare. Before/after school activities are not happening in our area. We do not have family who can help. My husband and I are going to try to work opposite each other for now, but this is not a good long term solution and ultimately my work will end up taking a hit.
As a community, I hope that we can broaden our views on American Jobs vs no American Jobs to see how far the ripple effects of the executive order impact jobs more broadly as well as the economy, and also our American families.
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